Sleeping car



(No Model.) I 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A. RAPP.

SLEEPING UAR.

No. 509,944. Patgnted Dec. 5, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

A. RAPP. SLEEPING GAR.

No. 50 9,9744. Pratente dDeo. 5, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST RAPP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PULLMANS PALACE CARCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SLEEPING-CARA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,944, dated December5, 1893.

Application filed November 27,1891- Serial No.4=l3.244. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST RAPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sleeping-Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to certain novel features in the construction ofsleeping cars and particularly to the construction and arrange- 1o mentof the upper or folding berth and the deck walls.

The object of my invention is to so improve the construction of modernsleeping cars as to retain those features which are essential I5 to meetthe requirements of service while securing additional advantages inpoint of utility, as well as in appearance.

Modern sleeping cars have windows which extend to or nearly to the planeof the piv' 2o otal connection of the upper berth to the side wall ofthe car, and there is also provided windows for the upper berth space.The upper berth must be of such width as to provide, when made up, roomfor two persons, and is usually made of a width equal to the length ofthe stationary seats below. Due

regard must be had, of course, to these several essential requirementsin the construction and arrangement of the parts of a sleep mg car.

Heretofore in the construction of sleeping cars there has been providedan apron depending from the upper deck sill and against which apron thelower edge of the free margin of the upper berth is swung when the berthis closed. This apron has always been an obstruction to the free andconvenient use of the upper berth, because it projected into the headroom of passengers occupying the upper berth. I dispense with this apronand rearrange the pivotal connection of the folding berth, raising thepivot thereof slightly and folding the upper corner of the free edge ofthe berth against the lower surface or edge of the deck sill. I cut awaythe lower corner of the free edge of the upper berth and thus obviatethe objectionable sharp corner of the present upper berth when foldeddown and thus also provide a proper finish when the up- 5 per berth isclosed. By this simple arrangement I am enabled to give more head roombelow the upper berth, a feature of considerable importance in view ofthe well known practice of lowering the berths for the purpose ofremoving orreplacing the bedding and movable partitions usually storedtherein while the lower berth is occupied by persons sitting on theseats thereof. I am also enabled by this change of parts to secure agreater width in the clear story, that is between the deck windows, thisline being lengthened in the standard Pullman car by about eight inches,and this improves greatly the appearance of the interior of the carmaking it approach more nearly in its contour the parlor carconstruction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken, transverse sectionalelevation of a car, the dotted lines showing the old berth and deckconstruction and the full lines showing my arrangement of the berth anddeck. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same.

In the drawings A represents the deck wall in a car constructed inaccordance with my improvements, the dotted letter A indicating the deckwall of sleeping cars of ordinary construction.

B represents the upper berth which is shown in end elevation in Fig. land in perspective in Fig. 2, and which is pivoted at b, o the dottedreference letters B, b showing the berth and pivotal connection thereofin said previous construction.

The dotted line C shows the apron of the carsof old construction. whichapron is entirely omitted in my construction.

By a comparison of the full and dotted lines the saving in head roomabove the seat D of the lower berth will be apparent. The lower cornerof the free end of the upper berth is go rounded or curved, as shown at00, and the advantage thereof will be clearly appreciated by referenceto the heavy and light dotted lines showing the berth in the originaland in the changed construction respectivelyand lowered in position foruse. The berth swings up and engages with a suitable catch E in thefixed bracket or partition F to which is also secured the drum G of thesuspension chain H. The edge of berth B is notched as I00 at y toreceive the swinging arms I of the curtain rod J when the latter is inuse and the upper berth is not in use.

By rounding the lower corner of the free edge of the berth and makingthe upper edge thereof engage the lower side of the sill the deck wallsmay be moved apart a distance equal to twice the depth of the edge ofthe berth. In this arrangement the surface :0 projects beyond thevertical plane of the deck wall A; but this surface may be so rounded orcut away as not to project beyond said plane. The widening of the spacebetween the deck windows not only improves the appearance of theinterior of the car, but it also affords more roomtor lamps and alsoprovides for better lighting and ventilation through the deck windows.

Without limiting my invention to the precise details of constructionherein described, I claim-- 1. A sleeping car having stationary lowerlower windows and having the upper corners 7 of their free edges adaptedto fold directly against the under surface of the deck sill whereby theusual apron is dispensed with and the deck walls being separated tocompensate for the omission of said apron, and the lower corners of thefree edges of the said berths being rounded or cut away, substantiallyas described.

2. A sleeping car having stationary lower seats, upper or folding berthspivoted at their inner margins to the side wall of the car and havingthe upper corners of their tree edges adapted to fold directly againstthe under surface of the deck sill whereby the usual apron is dispensedwith, curtain rod arms pivoted within the upper berth space and carryingcurtain rods adapted to be swung or folded into said space, and theupper corners of the outer margins of said berths being notched toreceive said arms when the berth is folded and the arms extended,substantially as described.

AUGUST RAPP.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK G. Goonwm, O. O. LINTHICUM.

